The differences between relaxed vs straight fit pants are often subtle. Don’t think this means they’re inconsequential to the look of your outfit, though.
Pant fit can anchor a general outfit the way shoulder fit anchors a suit. You can get away with a lot if your pants look intentionally cut. For example, an oversized top paired with a clean-lined pair of pants looks like a choice. An oversized shirt with oversized pants can sometimes just look like you’re unsure of your size.
Knowing the difference between relaxed fit vs straight fit pants is important. It’s easy to mix them up. However, understanding the nuances of each can make all the difference with your outfit. So, exactly what is a relaxed fit? What is a straight fit? Let’s get into it.
What Is a Relaxed Fit?
Relaxed-fit pants feature an easy, comfortable fit in the hips and into the legs. They feature cleaner lines than loose-fit pants, though there’s overlap between less baggy loose-fits and extra relaxed fits. The type of pants can also make a difference.
Basically, relaxed fits are the standard jeans fit. This means that though the lines are clean, there’s room to move around easily, and there’s often a break by the hem. This same fit would look looser in more formal pants, especially dress pants.
Relaxed-fit jeans are also often made of a more standard material than loose-fit jeans, which are often thicker. Moreover, baggy and oversized fits fall into the loose-cut category. They don’t, however, fall into the relaxed-fit category.
So, unlike loose-fit pants, which have a wide and sometimes flared cut, relaxed-fit pants are meant to look more natural. They have structure that matches your legs and hips, but they don’t outline your shape in a detailed or nuanced way.
Even more, relaxed-fit jeans should be able to sit above your waist without the help of a belt. Again, the key here is a natural fit. I wouldn’t call the fit snug by any means, but it certainly is compared to loose and baggy pants.
A relaxed-fit pair of pants is meant to look breezy and casual but not sloppy. Pant-makers often make many slacks and chinos in this cut.
Who Should Wear Relaxed Fits?
If you’re larger in the thigh area, perhaps you’re a mesomorph or endomorph body type, you might want to go for relaxed-fit pants. This is especially so with jeans or chinos, especially if you have bigger calves.
For dress pants, you can still choose a relaxed fit. Just find one higher in the waist so it doesn’t create hard breaks near the hem. Of course, you can also simply tailor a pair of relaxed-fit trousers to accommodate your proportions, slimming either the leg, hip, or waist size accordingly.
What Is a Straight Fit?
A straight-fit pant is slimmer in the hips and features a slightly tapered leg. To the naked eye, it looks more like a straight leg; the taper isn’t obvious. Otherwise, it would be a slim-fit pant.
If you aren’t sure if a pair of pants is straight or slim, lay them flat and unfolded on an even surface. If you can see the taper in that state but not when you’re wearing them, it’s a straight fit. If you can see the taper on the leg openings, on and off your body, it’s slim.
A straight fit looks most natural on dress pants or even chinos. For the latter, it’s really a matter of personal tastes.
People often confuse straight fits with relaxed fits because they’re in-betweeners. A straight fit is looser, at least proportionally than a slim fit. Meanwhile, a relaxed fit is slimmer than a loose fit but hardly considered slim at all.
Even more, there are indeed relaxed-fit pants with straight silhouettes. This type of cut is often classified differently based on brand and type of pants. For example, slacks are naturally relaxed. They’re traditionally built to be an elegant, dressier answer to casual pants and a less stuffy counterpart to dress pants.
Sometimes, even slacks with ample room between the fabric and your legs might be classified as a straight fit. If the waist is high enough, then the silhouette of the pants will look straight and clean, even if the fit itself is technically relaxed. Confusingly, this might also be called a relaxed straight-fit. Again, it varies from brand to brand.
Who Should Wear Straight Fits?
Anyone can wear straight fits; it just depends on how loose they are. Both relaxed and straight fits are generally universal.
However, the point of a straight-fit pair of pants is to have straight lines on the outer and inner parts of your legs. So whether you’re a bigger guy, a smaller guy, proportionally straight or curvy, it reins you in. It always looks like a clean cut. All that to say, I think straight fits are slightly more universal.
Are you broader in the leg area? Or do you have proportionally bigger calves than your hips and thighs, or vice versa? If so, I recommend a straight-fit pair of dress pants or chinos. A slim-fit pair might look too tight in some places and too loose in others.
I recommend slim-fit dress pants, straight-fit slacks, jeans, and chinos for guys with skinny legs. Of course, you should always consider your personal style as well. Again, straight-fit pants are pretty forgiving.
Relaxed-Fit Jeans vs Straight
Both relaxed-fit jeans and straight-fit jeans are appropriate cuts. As mentioned, those with broader legs might find relaxed fits more flattering. Those with thinner legs and differently proportioned legs might find straight fits more flattering.
Depending on your preference, I say go for relaxed or straight when you’re in a casual environment. A T-shirt, jeans, and
Some contexts require both casualness and elegance. Beachside or garden parties in the summer are both good examples. In this case, you might wear white straight-fit jeans with a blazer and loafers.
In fact, I deign to say that any situation that calls for white jeans requires straight or slim fits. They give them that country club or beachy aesthetic they naturally fit in.
Conclusion: A Fairly Safe Bet
Truly, when it comes to relaxed-fit vs. straight-fit pants, either will look good on most people. But now you know how to optimize each. Again, the differences are subtle but make a difference in the outfit. And, of course, nothing makes you look more like a grown, well-adjusted adult, like dressing intentionally.
Do you prefer relaxed fits or straight fits? Do you prefer different fits based on how casual or formal the pants are? Let’s start a conversation below!
